The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-02-25
Nuts For Farmers To Crack.
Communicated.


Labor, was good logic, but we can't for
bear asking few questions. The writer
says, If working men were alive to their duty
they might readily secure better terms with
their employers" Does he mean to say
that better wages and constant employment
would be given to a man who tries to do
his work we'll and is ever mindful Of
his employers interests?" Tt seems to us
that such ought to be the case, but how
many farmers employ men year after year
who are mindful of their employers inter
ests, and are, as it were. saying bank to
them, but instead of giving them better
wages they try to hire them for another
year at still lower rates. Of course there
are some exceptions but the tendency is
downward rather than upward in price
We admit there are many thriftless men
who prefer idleness to employment, who
sit about stores and hotels, wasting their
time and money if any they have, but we
don't class those fellows as working men.
The writer also described pleasant humb-
lie home and "said it is hardly too much to
say that such homes are within the
reach Of ALL" We should like to argue
with him but can not for this reason, such
bone as he has pictured would cost at
least eight or nine hundred dollars at the
present time when real estate is very low.
Now we should like to know when the av-
erage farm hand (be he ever so economlcal)
would accumulate that amount of money
and keep family while earning it. He
| speaks of work being scarce on the farm in
winter. This reminds of some farms we
have seen where the fence rows were so
grown up with bushes and briars as to fur
nish employment for one or two men all
| winter clearing them out, stormy days ex.
cepted. There are many farmers who
could find plenty Of work for their men to
do in winter, but they are like those al
ready mentioned fond of sitting around
stores, displaying their eloquence. Many
farmers are in the habit of hiring halfg grown
boys with which to work their farm and
the man with family is forced to seek en-
ployment elsewhere, when the busy season
comes on the farmer finds himself short of
help. This if persisted in, will In few
years make farm help so scarce as to become
alarming. Many farmers have acquired
the foolish habit of censuring their men for
the most trifing offense and oftimes in the
preseHce OF strangers, this is both cowardly
and mean and not many hands will stand
this unless forced to do so by their circum-
stances. To our worthy editor (whose elo
quence and good sense we admit) the fol-
lowing is addressed: He says "all cur
computations are based on the value of mus
cle," perhaps they are, but if he eyer work.
ed on farm he must know that more mus
Gle is demanded than brain, We have done
the hardest work on the farm many years
and know the reverse to be true. One good
organizing brain is worth many hands-ED :
but Of course brain work aids muscle very
much. He asks, "what share of the profits
ought the brain workers to have" and adds
| that this is the problem that has defied all
trade unions who figure from the muscle
point of view only" Now if such band
of zen who compose these unions are un-
able to solve this question how can he ex-
pect us to do it? We don't believe he ex-
pected US to answer it, but we venture the
following:
Let employers lay aside all selfshness and
pay their employees what they (the employ
ers) would be willing to take, retaining the
balance for their brain work, Is not this
fair proposition. Which demands the most
brain work, to manage farm and dispose
of what accumulates thereon or to keep
large family on monthly allowance and
keep clear of debt?
A WoRKINGMAN.
Our correspondents plan of pay
ing the employees what they would
be willing to take' would doubtless
be very satisfactory to the employees,
especially when the crops were large
and receipts correspondingly SO.
but in most cases we fear there would
be little left for taxes and other ex-